Valerie

"The Empower campaign is universal. The message reaches so many aspects of society, and for me it translates through fashion. As a Plus-Size fashion blogger, my goal is not only to promote a positive and supportive community for women’s bodies, but also to encourage consciousness about health and well-being. I want women to be aware of their lifestyle, but never ashamed of their bodies. The message of Empowerment is important, because it encourages individuals to see themselves in the best light, and for women our self-esteem governs our outlook on fashion and even more important our outlook on life."

Lauren

"Empower is changing I can’t to I can. Empowerment to me is seeing a challenge and diving into it. Learning to explore oneself can be a scary and uncomfortable situation. Owning up to your own behaviors and habits are not always fun but realizing that you have the power to change them to create them is what brings me inspiration. Have the courage to be EmPowered!"

Mia

"Movement as total body creative expression has empowered me towards freedom to be myself in all spaces and at all times. It has supported me through confrontation of past fears and through the intimate work of self advocacy."

Nina

"My friend John took me to my first hot yoga class. I had been struggling with chronic pelvic pain for five years, relatively in secret and thought it couldn’t hurt to try yoga to clear my mind and help with depression. The class was sweaty, frustrating, painful, and joyful. I continued on, inspired by instructors and the refereshingly honest and raw yoga community. There was no judgement in class, and I felt so much support crowded between those mats of fierce warriors. I wasn’t even aware that my condition was under control until a year later when I woke up pain-free, happier, and healthier than I had ever been before. The yoga community empowered me to take my life back, own it, and now help others to do so as well."

Chavon

"Going as far back to when I was child I remember hearing comments about my body and how it didn't fit the mold of what people thought I should look like for someone so active. I had people trying to diagnose me left and right, what no one wanted to accept was that there is no 'right' way to have a body. That you could be the most active person and still be plus size. It took a while for me to accept this myself, but once I did I ran with it! I no longer limit myself to what I think I'm allowed to do, this new mindset lead me to the doors at Sacred Brooklyn where I started pole dancing and really delved into my empowerment journey.

I started my sex positivity adventure in my teens and decided that I wanted to help spread sexual health awareness and promote great sex to all that I came across. While delving in to the world of all things sex I also learned more about myself and my body, as well as how people viewed it. This led me to working at a plus size clothing store called Re/Dress NYC in the Fall of 2011. While working there I discovered more about body positivity and how to promote to anyone that was willing to listen. While learning to love the body that I'm in I have tried new things that I thought I wasn't 'allowed' to do. This new mindset lead me to trying pole dancing; it is where my journey to empower myself and others truly begins."

Elizabeth

"I am empowered because I stand up for myself, my beliefs, and my truths. I admit that I am not perfect and that I struggle with certain insecurities, but I show up in my life and put the work in to create a woman that I strive to be and that I can be proud of."

Toccarra

"I am empowered when I feel compelled to move beyond the imaginable or expected to find my truth.

With each passing year, I settle further and further into myself and learn to read my sensitivity to certain moments, movements, and moods not as weakness, but as an indicator of what does not suit me. However, reading myself is half the battle. Empowerment comes when I say, "I will not stand for how I am undervaluing myself right now, or I will not give you the power to devalue me." It can be as simple as a making a choice between quality or subpar food on a non-profit budget, deciding who I allow to share my company, or even negotiating how often I feed my yoga/dance practice by attending classes at the studio."

Veronica

"Life is hard, easy is not an option, you have to empower yourself in order to go through life confidently knowing that everything will be alright in the end. When every muscle is aching for you to stop, you have to take responsibility to make it happen because it’s worth it. Empower is “doing what you love and inspire others to follow your path without quitting.” It’s important for me to let you know that you’re POWERFUL!"

Anan

"Just a girl who loves to move. Catch her in the hot yoga room or hanging upside down (where she's always happiest) from a hoop/pole/silk/toe. This New York born Cali native is designing apparel for all her favorite pursuits."